Squeeze bottle



Jan. 2l, 1964 F, R, JOHNSON 3,118,573

SQUEEZE BOTTLE Filed Sept. 22, 1961 Ill'l lll'l'l Ill! ATTR NE Y United States Patent O 3,118,573 SQ'UEEZE BGTTLE Fred R. Johnson, deceased, late of Kansas City, Mo., hy

Virginia R. Krogsdale, executrix, Raytown, Mo., as-

signor to Sta-Safe Corporation, Kansas City, Mo., a

corporation of Missouri Filed Sept. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 140,138 3 Claims. (Ci. 222-212) This invention relates to squeeze bottles for containing fluids to be dispensed in a rnist or spray, and has for its principal object to provide a fluid seal for safely retaining the fluid and which `functions to release the fluid upon squeezing of the bottle.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a bottle with a rupturable diaphragm which is held in place by an orifice plug that closes the neck of the bottle; to provide a seal for the orifice plug that connects the bottle, diaphragm material and orifice plug in a unit for preventing displacement and possibility of leakage; to provide a diaphragm capable of rupture under a predetermined squeezing pressure on the bottle; to provide an orifice plug having a cavity into which the diaphragm ruptures and in which the ruptured portion is retained to prevent interference with flow through the orifice of the plug; and to provide means to retain the orifice plug prior to sealing-in thereof and to supplement the unitary seal.

in accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, improved structure has been provided, the preferred `form `of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

iFlG. l is a perspective view of a squeeze bottle constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the manner of use to dispense the contents in a forceful stream `for a considerable distance.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the bottle, showing rupture of the safety diaphragm under pressure applied to the walls of the bottle, and showing the contents of the bottle being ejected.

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the body of the bottle, the diaphragm material, and the orifice plug, prior to assembly and shown in spaced apart relation.

FIG. 4 is a similar view, but showing the orifice plug and diaphragm material pressed into the neck of the bottle and prior to sealing of the orifice plug and diaphragm material to the neck of the bottle.

FG. 5 is a vertical section through the completed bottle, and showing the protective cap removed therefrom.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through one side of the neck of the bottle, to better illustrate the position and retention of the rupturable diaphragm.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a squeeze bottle constructed in accordance with the present 4invention and which rnay be used for containing various types of contents that may be ejected in a spray or mist form upon squeezing of the walls of the bottle. The body 2 of the bottle may be of any suitable shape, but the bottle illustrated has a shape that conveniently fits the palm of the hand, as shown in FIG. l, whereby the invention is especially adapted as a personal bodyguard device for repelling thugs, robbers, and individuals tending to do hanm to the user thereof.

The body 2. has an annular wall 3 `of generally circular cross section and curving from a closed bottom 4 to a neck 5 at the upper end of the bottle. The neck 5 has a cylindrical bore 6 in connection with the interior of the bottle and through which the bottle is filled with a fiuid 7. The exterior of the neck 5 has a thread 8 for attaching a `closure cap 9. The closure cap 9 is of usual construction in that it has an annular Wall 10 provided 3&13573 ice with internal threads 11 and a closed top 12 seating a gasket `13 within the cavity of the cap. In conformity with the present invention, the top annular face 14 of `the neck l5 is preferably flat, `as shown, and the inner cylindrical face 1S thereof may have an annular depression or `groove 16 inset from the Iface 14, for purposes later described.

The bottle 1 and cap 9 thus described are of generally conventional design, and the bottle is constructed of a flexible and tough plastic material having a high tensile strength, such as polyethylene, that is capable of retaining its shape but which is yieldable under pressure applied to the walls of the bottle for forcibly displacing the contents therefrom. It is also desired that the material selected be capable of xfusion to seal in an orifice plug 17 `and a frangible filmlike diaphragm 18 that constitute important parts of the present invention, and which also are lformed of plastic material corresponding to the material of the bottle, so that they may be fused together by heat.

The plug 17 has a flanged head 19 :forming a projecting annular shoulder 2li with a generally cylindrical body portion 21. The body portion 21 has a diameter near the shoulder 2d slightly less than the diameter of the bore 6 in the neck of the bottle, to accommodate the thickness of the diaphragm material firmly therebetween. The body portion 21 tapers slightly inwardly and terruinates in an annular bevel 22. The body portion 21 may also have a slight annular rib 23 near the upper end in a position to match with the groove 16 when the parts Iare in assembly. However, it .is understood that the rib and groove may be omitted, since in most instances the fit of the plug 17 within the neck of the bottle may suffice to anchor the plug with the diaphragm therein.

The body portion 21 of the orifice plug 17 has a recess 2liopening through the lower end thereof to leave an annular wall 25. The recess 24 terminates at the head portion of the plug, to leave a wall thickness to adequately withstand the pressure of the fluid under squeezing pressure and to accommodate `an orifice 26. The wall 25 of the orifice plug 17 has a thickness to be stiff enough to support the diaphragm 18, as later described, fbut to be sufficiently resilient to act in the manner of a stopper when the parts are assembled into the neck of the bottle.

The frangible diaphragm 1S may be formed from a strip of film 27 having the desired thickness and tensile strength to rupture under a predetermined pressure. A portion of the strip is pressed into the neck of the bottle by insertion of the orifice plug 17, so that a part 2S thereof is :stretched across `the open end of the recess 2d of the orifice plug to constitute a rupturable portion anchored by the part 29 of the hlm strip `that is gripped between the outer surface of the body portion of the orifice plug and the inner face 15 of the bottle neck, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. Gn insention of the plug, the annular rib 23 thereon presses the film strip into the annular groove 16 at the time the shoulder on the orifice plug seats a part 3Q of the film firmly against the annular end face 1d of the neck, to hold the film therebetween under pressure. The hlm is now in the condition illustrated in FIG. 4, with mangins of the strip extending loosely from the neck of the bottle.

In order to further anchor the orifice plug and to heat sed the shoulder of the orifice plug to the portion Sil of the film, and the film to the face 14 of the neck of the shoulder, and also fuse away the projecting portions of the film, the neck of the bottle is brought into contact with a heater element 31, shown diagrammatically in HG. 6, to supply the necessary heat for bonding the portions Vtogether by causing the materials to melt sufficiently to intermingle and fuse together, in orde-r to obtain a strong bond.

in using the bottle, for example, by the distributor of the bodyguard device, the bottle is lled with the lluid 7 substantially up to the neck 5 of the bottle. A hlm strip 27 is brought across the neck of the bottle and pushed into the bore 6 by the orifice plug 17 until the shoulder 2li or the orilice plug seats the part of the ilm 3d against the end face 11i, as shown in FG. 4. When in this position, the rib 23 pushes the film into 4the groove 16, as best shown in FEG. o. The crice plug is then heat sealed by fusing `the shoulder 2i), part Si? of the film, and the face 14 of the neck of the bottle together.

After removal of the heat and cooling of the fused portions, a closure cap 9 may be applied to the threaded neck of the bottle. However, the orilice 25 is closed by the diaphragm of lthe rilm that is stretched `across the mouth of the recess 24, so that as long as the diaphragm is intact none of the fluid can escape from the bottle.

in using the device, the closure cap is removed and the bottle 1 is held in the palm of the hand to apply a squeezing I.pressure on the wall 3 of the bottle, as indicated by the arrows 32 in HG. 2, so that the pressure on the huid causes the stretched portion 28 of the diaphragm to bulge within the recess and to burst or fracture- Suthciently for the iiuid -to discharge through the orilioe 26 as long as the squeezing pressure is Amaintained and the fluid is emptied from the bottle. The liuid is discharged in a mist or spray 33 under force to carry a substantial distance. Such fluids are usually of a type to cause temporary impairment of vision in an assailant, and to leave a stain or dye on the skin or clothing by which the assailant is readily identified.

While the invention is especially adapted for a personal bodyguard device, it is obvious that the bottle may be used lfor containing any type or uid which is to be dispensed in a mist or spray form, without departing from the spirit of ythe invention.

From the foregoing, -it is obvious that a squeeze bottle has been provided with a safety diaphragm automatically rupturable to discharge a spray upon appli-:ation of a certain squeezing pressure to the wall of the bottle, and in the absence `of such squeezing pressure the -frangi-ble diaphragm safely retains and prevents escape or the duid through the orifice even when the bottle is carried ywithout the cap 9. ylt is also obvious that the recess is of ample size for the diaphragm to bulge therein to the bursting or rupture point without interference with flow through the orifice 25.

r is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters te t is:

1. A plastic squeeze spray bottle having a neck provided with a top annular face encircling a cylindrical bore in said neck through which the bottle is lled with a uid, a plastic plug having a head portion provided with a spray orice and having a projecting annular shoulder overlying said annular face of the neck, said plug also having a body portion extending from said head into the bore 0i said neck and provided with a recess of substantially larger size than the spray oriiice and opening through the inner end of the body portion of the plug, a diaphragm of plastic iilm material stretched across said inner end of said body portion of the plug to provide a closure to said orice and which is frangible under squeezing pressure on the bottle, said diaphragm having a portion extending between the body portion of the plug and the neck and terminating in a portion pressed between the annular face of the neck and the annular shoulder of the head, and a seal securing the head and neck of the bottle to said pressed portion of the diaphragm for retaining the diaphragm in stretched condition across the recess and securing the plug yfrom displacement after the bottle has been filled with uid, said recess in the plug providing space for the stretched portion of the diaphragm to bulge inwardly of said recess and to rupture under said squeezing pressure without interference to ow of the fluid through said orice.

2. A squeeze spray bottle as described in claim l, wherein the neck has an inner circumferential groove and the plug has a circumferential rib pressing said diaphragm into said groove.

3. A squeeze spray bottle as described in claim 1, in which said seal constitutes fusion of the diaphragm with said head of the plug and the neck of the bottle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 54,201 Pike Apr. 24, 1866 1,409,544 Hallock Mar. 14, 1922 2,783,091 Haldy Feb. 26, 1957 2,957,501 Holmes Oct. 25, 196i) 3,029,987 Gronemeyer Apr. 17, 1962 3,071,294 Galbierz Ian. 1, 1963 

1. A PLASTIC SQUEEZE SPRAY BOTTLE HAVING A NECK PROVIDED WITH A TOP ANNULAR FACE ENCIRCLING A CYLINDRICAL BORE IN SAID NECK THROUGH WHICH THE BOTTLE IS FILLED WITH A FLUID, A PLASTIC PLUG HAVING A HEAD PORTION PROVIDED WITH A SPRAY ORIFICE AND HAVING A PROJECTING ANNULAR SHOULDER OVERLYING SAID ANNULAR FACE OF THE NECK, SAID PLUG ALSO HAVING A BODY PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID HEAD INTO THE BORE OF SAID NECK AND PROVIDED WITH A RECESS OF SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER SIZE THAN THE SPRAY ORIFICE AND OPENING THROUGH THE INNER END OF THE BODY PORTION OF THE PLUG, A DIAPHRAGM OF PLASTIC FILM MATERIAL STRETCHED ACROSS SAID INNER END OF SAID BODY PORTION OF THE PLUG TO PROVIDE A CLOSURE TO SAID ORIFICE AND WHICH IS FRANGIBLE UNDER SQUEEZING PRESSURE ON THE BOTTLE, SAID DIPHRAGM HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE BODY PORTION OF THE PLUG AND THE NECK AND TERMINATING IN A PORTION PRESSED BETWEEN THE ANNULAR FACE OF THE NECK AND THE ANNULAR SHOULDER OF THE HEAD, AND A SEAL SECURING THE HEAD AND NECK OF THE BOTTLE TO SAID PRESSED PORTION OF THE DIAPHRAGM FOR RETAINING THE DIAPHRAGM IN STRETCHED CONDITION ACROSS THE RECESS AND SECURING THE PLUG FROM DISPLACEMENT AFTER THE BOTTLE HAS BEEN FILLED WITH FLUID, SAID RECESS IN THE PLUG PROVIDING SPACE FOR THE STRECHED PORTION OF THE DIAPHRAGM TO BULGE INWARDLY OF SAID RECESS AND TO RUPTURE UNDER SAID SQUEEZING PRESSURE WITHOUT INTERFERENCE TO FLOW OF THE FLUID THROUGH SAID ORIFICE. 